Broken Masks and Butterflies
by SilentThunder23
Summary: There is life after death. 02; You're so sick of everyone protecting you. IchigoSakura.
1. Chasing Butterflies

**Story Title: **Chasing Butterflies.  
**Summary:** Lost somewhere in the afterlife. NarutoRukia.  
**Character/s: **Naruto, Rukia.

* * *

His mind is hazy, filled with years gone by and things that could've been. They slip away from him, like sand in the wind. He opens his eyes and he thinks, _'this is not where I belong'_ because the streets are unrecognisable. A part of him is missing; he doesn't know who he is anyway, so how can he know some thing's missing? He doesn't know. He can remember a voice screaming out to him, he was falling and she was screaming for him.

_Naruto Uzumaki. _

People wander the streets, he doesn't know them, but they all look friendly enough. Maybe they can tell him where he is.

-x-

Naruto Uzumaki is missing something, or someone.

There's this hunger burning at him too; the people tell him he doesn't really need to eat, that eating's just for fun; he thinks they're wrong. He wanders the streets searching for that someone.

He remembers being older then he is now.

-x-

He dreams of blood; of a beast larger then buildings watching him from a cage; or maybe he's the caged one. Sometimes in his dreams there's a girl screaming out to him; but the dreams, just like his memories, start to fade away.

-x-

He goes to the academy, after he figures out the reasoning behind his hunger. He's pretty good at this Shinigami business. There's two brunettes in his class that seem familiar, a girl and a boy; he remembers enough to know they're different now.

The boy has a red triangle tattooed on his left cheek. The girl's hair is pulled back in a single braid.

-x-

Naruto Uzumaki is a Shinigami, and Rukia is in his division. She's a Kuchiki, but Naruto still talks to her, he doesn't really care about nobility or status.

He's a fifth seat and she's still an unseated member; but he's been here a long time and she's new, fresh out of the academy.

Tenten is a sixth seat in fifth division; sometimes when Naruto goes with Kiba to visit Tenten, he complains that the fifth division barracks smells suspicious.

-x-

By the time Rukia gets sent for her first mission to the real world Naruto is a fourth seat; he's been to the real world before it's not all that interesting. Maybe it wasn't that interesting because Rukia wasn't there. The world just seems more interesting with the female Shinigami.


	2. Remember, Lives Before

Remember, Lives Before  
You're so sick of everyone protecting you. IchigoSakura.

* * *

When you first see him, he doesn't even notice you.  
You're wandering through the school, with whispers and harsh words following you wherever you go, and in the corner of your eye you see a flash of colour. Bright orange. You're not really sure what draws your attention to him; maybe it's because it's so bright and stands out against the dark tones of the rest of the students.  
Something about the colour reminds you of someone else, and you don't know why.

The first time he notices you, it's simply because you're screaming for help.

There's something chasing you. A monster that smells of death, the scent of decay seems to cling to you while you run and you're not really sure whether you're getting away or whether this is the end.

Part of you thinks the end won't be so bad.

Then he comes to your rescue, dressed in dark robes with determined eyes and bright orange hair. Something about it is far too familiar, and for the first time in your life you want to fight on your own. They're always protecting you, no matter what you do; you always end up being a burden.

After he saves the day you expect him to turn and smile, a blinding smile that lights up your world, but when he turns to look at you it never comes.

Part of you wonders why you expected him to.

After that day you ask Tatsuki to teach you how to defend yourself, even if you cannot defend yourself from the monsters that haunt the world, you will make yourself safe from everything else.

You put on a beanie to hide your vibrant pink hair and then you walk the streets confident in the fact that you can take care of yourself.

You're just so sick of everyone protecting you. You'll protect yourself.


End file.
